Give up quest for free Tibet: China tells Dalai Lama

Attacking the 68-year-old Nobel laureate for his fight for genuine autonomy in his Himalayan homeland, the white paper, the first-ever on the Tibet issue, charged that the ‘‘Dalai clique’’ has constantly attacked Tibet’s regional ethnic autonomy, in the international arena, as being ‘‘devoid of essential contents’’, and demanded the ‘‘one country, two systems formula’’. ‘‘This argument is totally untenable,’’ the Chinese government said, alleging that the Dalai Lama’s current words and deeds ‘‘runs counter not only to the reality of present-day Tibet but also to the words he once uttered in all seriousness’’.

Meanwhile,The Observer said China has threatened to strip Liverpool of its twin city status with Shanghai if officials from the city met the Dalai Lama next week. A diplomatic row has broken out between Beijing and London over the Buddhist leader’s visit. However, the Dalai Lama’s programme is expected to go ahead, the paper said.

He will also meet British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and heir to the British throne Prince Charles, dates which have raised China’s ire as well, the newspaper added.